Software · head to head
Moz vs SEMrush
SEMrush
Software
Do SEO, content marketing, competitor research, PPC and social media marketing from just one platfor
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Moz smaller keyword database with only 500M+ keywords compared to 25 billion for Semrush; SEMrush free tier limited to 10 reports per day across all tools
- They diverge on capability: Moz covers Keyword Explorer, SEMrush covers Keyword research.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Moz and SEMrush actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Moz
- Keyword Explorer
- Link Explorer
- Site Crawl
- Rank Tracking
- Page Optimization
- Competitive research
- Local SEO tools
- Fresh Web Explorer
Only in SEMrush
- Keyword research
- Site audit
- Competitor analysis
- Backlink analytics
- Rank tracking
- Content marketing
- PPC research
- Social media tools
Both cover
- Google Analytics
- Cloud deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Moz
- SEO auditsnot SEMrush
- Keyword researchnot SEMrush
- Link buildingnot SEMrush
- Local SEOnot SEMrush
- Competitive analysisnot SEMrush
SEMrush
- SEO keyword research and competitor analysisnot Moz
- Website performance tracking and auditingnot Moz
- Content marketing optimizationnot Moz
- PPC advertising researchnot Moz
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Moz
- Smaller keyword database with only 500M+ keywords compared to 25 billion for Semrush
- Unreliable competitive analysis for B2B companies with niche competitor sets
- Weekly rank tracking on lower plans creates bottlenecks versus daily updates on competitors
SEMrush
- Free tier limited to 10 reports per day across all tools
- Keyword tracking capped at 500 per month on entry tiers (SEO and Starter plans)
- Additional users cost £45/month per user above base subscription
- Most advanced features require Advanced plan (£455.67/month), making entry cost significant for small teams
Pricing, plan by plan
Moz
Free- Starter$39/month
- Limited keyword tracking
- Basic site audit
- Standard$99/month
- Enhanced keyword tracking
- Competitive analysis
SEMrush
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the SEMrush review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Moz if
- You need keyword explorer.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want link explorer.
Choose SEMrush if
- You need keyword research.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile app.
- You also want site audit.
Questions people ask
- Is Moz or SEMrush better?
- Neither clearly leads. Moz starts at Free and SEMrush at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Moz or SEMrush?
- Moz starts at Free and SEMrush at Free.
- Does Moz or SEMrush run on more platforms?
- Moz runs on Web. SEMrush runs on Web, Mobile app.
- Can I use Moz for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Moz best used for?
- Moz is most often used for seo audits, keyword research, link building, local seo. Of those, seo audits and keyword research are not what SEMrush is typically brought in for.
- What can Moz do that SEMrush cannot?
- Moz covers Keyword Explorer, Link Explorer, Site Crawl, Rank Tracking. SEMrush covers Keyword research, Site audit, Competitor analysis, Backlink analytics. Both handle Google Analytics, Cloud deployment.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Moz: What are Moz's main weaknesses compared to Semrush and Ahrefs?
Moz has a smaller keyword database (500M+ keywords vs Semrush's 25B), weaker competitive analysis tools for B2B niches, weekly rank tracking on lower plans, and limited local SEO features compared to modern competitors.
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